1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to adapters for mounting a fluid pressure sensor and more particularly to such an adapter that has a selectively angularly orientable mounting surface for detachably supporting the fluid pressure sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
Pressure sensors are typically used in fluid flow or process systems to sense fluid pressure at one or more points in the system and transmit a signal correlative of the sensed pressure. For example, the pressure differential across a predefined orifice, commonly referred to as .DELTA.P, is typically transmitted to a computer controlled data acquisition system which uses the sensed pressures in the calculation of system flow rates. It is also often desirable to separately measure the static pressure of the fluid, typically the pressure on the upstream side of the orifice. For such purposes, a static pressure transmitter is connected to a port that is in fluid communication with the corresponding pressure line. Such ports have, heretofore, often been difficult to access and did not provide any selectivity with respect to angular orientation, or placement, of the static pressure transmitter.
Also, it has been found that very small errors in the measured value of the respective pressures can produce significant errors in calculated fluid flow rates. Both static and differential pressure values are required to in the calculation of fluid flow rates. It is therefore desirable that the static pressure transmitter be placed as close to the .DELTA.P transmitter as possible to minimize errors attributable to transient pressure fluctuations.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems set forth above. It is desirable to have an adapter for mounting a static pressure transmitter in immediate proximity with a .DELTA.P pressure transmitter. It is also desirable to have a adapter that has a mounting surface for the static pressure transmitter which can be selective oriented in a desired angular direction to permit installation in confined or limited access areas.